Richmond’s Lucy Dacus Makes Rolling Stone ‘Artist You Need To Know’ List

by | Jan 25, 2016 | ROCK & INDIE


Rolling Stone Magazine runs a monthly series called “Artists You Need To Know” and RVA’s own Lucy Dacus was featured on this month’s list. At 20-years-old, Dacus has already impressed the hell out of us, we put her in our last print mag, but now some big names are giving her the credit she deserves.

As for the kind words from RS, they include Dacus’ having a “knack for writing disarmingly open indie rock songs, with plainspoken lyrics that hit even harder thanks to her soft, sturdy alto.”

Read the blurb below.

Sounds Like: Hyper-aware missives from a friend whose mind is always whirling.

For Fans Of: Eleanor Friedberger, Wye Oak, Sebadoh’s “Rebound”

Why You Should Pay Attention: Richmond-based Lucy Dacus has a knack for writing disarmingly open indie rock songs, with plainspoken lyrics that hit even harder thanks to her soft, sturdy alto. Her debut No Burden, which comes out February 26th, was recorded in Nashville over the course of a single day. Dacus’s voice is surrounded by gently churning guitars with forays into dreampop (the fuzzed-out ending to the sturdy “Dreamtime”) and stark acoustic tracks (“Trust,” one of Dacus’s earliest songs).

She Says: “Usually I’ll just be walking from my house to somewhere else, and melodies and words will start coming up, and I’ll have to run home to write it all down. I have a huge note on my phone where things just start popping up. It doesn’t make that much sense to me at the time, but once a song is finished, I can read into it and figure out who the characters are in my life. Hopefully when you listen to a song, you can say, ‘That’s me,’ or ‘That’s someone I know’ — you relate to it in a way that’s cathartic.”

Hear for Yourself: “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” is a pitch-perfect portrait of a woman feeling boxed in by the way her peers view her, with Dacus’ thoughts about potential personas grounded by a steady chug. Maura Johnston

Check out the rest of the kind words here.

Dacus drops her first album, No Burden on EggHunt records in late February. When she gets all famous, remember we were there for her too!

RVA Staff

RVA Staff

Since 2005, the dedicated team at RVA Magazine, known as RVA Staff, has been delivering the cultural news that matters in Richmond, VA. This talented group of professionals is committed to keeping you informed about the events and happenings in the city.




more in music

Weekend Trippin’ to the Outer Banks in the Off-Season

Editor’s note: This story was produced in partnership with The Sanderling Resort and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. I hadn’t been to the Outer Banks in thirty years, and nothing looked familiar. The last time I came down this way I was shirtless, in the bed of my...

Fonville x Fribush Bring Organ Trio Jazz Back to the Working Class

As the new and already acclaimed jazz record Blue Collar Jazz by Fonville x Fribush was debuting, I got on a call with Corey Fonville to hear the stories that made this project possible. The album pairs drummer Corey Fonville with organist Sam Fribush and features...

Photos | Movements Brought the ‘Happier Now’ Tour to Richmond

California post-hardcore band Movements played The National in Richmond on Friday, October 30, as part of their Happier Now USA Tour. Pennsylvania’s Balance and Composure, Midrift, and Niis were also on the bill. The tour supports Happier Now, Movements’ fourth album,...

Photos | All The Saints Halloween Parade Packs Oregon Hill

Last night, thousands of Richmonders crammed into Oregon Hill for the 21st annual Halloween Parade from All The Saints Theater Company, the DIY puppet troupe behind it all. This year’s theme was “Dada Ur Data: A Funeral March for Intelligence,” a requiem for...

It’s Still Our City Ep. 27 | PRISONER

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Formed sometime in 2012, PRISONER started out as a four-piece. Their earliest songs were mostly punk/hardcore mixed...

Halloweek 2026! Our Guide to Richmond’s Halloween Madness

Halloween is Richmond to its core, and it all starts this weekend. We don't have to sell you on it. Go have fun, get weird, and let's all meet up for the All The Saint's Halloween Parade in Oregon Hill. Just be safe, don't drink and drive. Welcome to Halloweek 2026....

RVA Live Music! Alice Cooper, Miramar & Halloween Shows!

Halloween time, babe. Going to try to cram as much as I can into this column, because I know we are all trying to cram as much as we can into this weekend.Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com....

‘The Roll Up’ Sparks One, Plugs In, Sees What Happens

Editor's note: Christian Detres is a main contributor to RVA Magazine. The Roll Up is a pretty simple idea, and Christian Detres, the man behind it, explains it best. "It's just invite four musicians to the studio, get them fucking stoned, have a nice conversation,...